Israel Premier Reports to Cabinet on Middle East Developments

October 18, 1951

JERUSALEM (Oct. 17)

The Israel Cabinet today heard a report by Premier David Ben Gurion on Middle East developments stemming from Egypt’s decision to oust the British from the Suez Canal area. The Premier indicated how current developments may affect the Jewish state.

Premier Ben Gurion–in his capacity as Acting Foreign Minister during the absence of Moshe Sharett who is in the United States–also reported to the Cabinet on the talks in Paris initiated by the U.N. Palestine Conciliation Committee with a view to concluding an Arab-Israeli peace. In addition, he reviewed the general political situation.

(In Paris today, the Israeli delegation to the U.N. “peace” conference released the text of a letter it has sent to the Palestine Conciliation Commission protesting the Arab states’ refusal to give any other guarantee of co-operation except that they would not use armed force against Israel. This, the Israel note declared, violates the U.N. Charter, the Security Council decision on the Suez Canal which recognized economic boycott measures as hostilities, and the armistice agreements which can hostilities in a general sense rather than just the use of armed force.)